Locomotive and boiler therefor



June 26, 1951 MARTlN ETAL 2,558,261

LOCOMOTIVE AND BOILER THEREFOR Filed 'May 31, 1944 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 June26, 1951 MARTIN AL 2,558,261

LOCOMOTIVE AND BOILER THEREFOR Filed May 31, 1944 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 June26, 1951 E. MARTIN ET AL 2,553,261

LOCOMOTIVE AND BOILER THEREFOR Filed May 31, 1944 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 mJune 26, 1951 E. MARTIN ET AL LOCOMOTIVE AND BOILER THEREFOR 6Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 51, 1944 June 26, 1951 E. MARTIN ET AL2,558,261

LOCOMOTIVE AND BOILER THEREFOR 4 June 26, 1951 E. MARTIN ET AL 2,558,261

LOCOMOTIVE AND BOILER THEREFOR Filed May 31, 1944 6 Sheets-Sheet 6Patented June 26, 1951 LOCOMOTIV E AND BOILER THEREFOR Eugene Martin,Charles J. Surdy, and Joseph B. MacKenzie, Wesleyville, Pa., assignorsto The Standard Stoker Company, Incorporated, a

corporation of Delaware Application May 31, 1944, Serial No. 538,164

4 Claims. (01. 122-235) This invention relates to boilers and moreparticularly to a boiler especially adapted for use upon locomotives.While the invention is shown and hereinafter described as applied to alocomotive, it will be apparent that it is capable of use in connectionwith marine, stationary and mobile power plants, and portableinstallations.

Heretofore the demand for locomotives of increased power were largelysatisfied by the development of locomotives approaching the maximumdimensions permitted by road clearances, and further thermal efiiciencywas obtained by the development and use of auxiliary devices such asfeed water heaters, superheaters, etc. An object of our invention is toprovide an improved boiler construction whereby it will be possible toobtain locomotives of greater power within the same space limitationsthan is at present possible. More specifically, an object of theinvention is to provide a boiler having an evaporating and superheatingcapacity which is considerably greater per unit of length than isobtainable in boilers of present construction, and that occupies lessspace per unit of power delivereol. Another object of the invention isto provide an improved arrangement of the superheater header andelements whereby a very high degree of superheat may be obtained with aminimum fuel consumption, and whereby greater accessibility to thesuperheater header and elements for inspection and cleaning is provided.More specifically, an object of the invention is the provision of animproved firebox and the arrangement therein of a superheater header andelements whereby the superheater header and elements will be directlysubjected to the high temperature combustion gases, and the generatedheat will be most economically utilized both in the production ofsaturated steam in the boiler and in the production of superheatedsteam.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel water tube fireboxconstruction whereby the heat produced in the firebox is utilized togreater advantage for rapid steam generation. More specificaly, anobject of the invention is to provide an improved water tubefirebox-unit of a locomotive boiler so constructed to cause the majorportion of the combustion gases to make three passes therethrough, witha water tube screen disposed in the second pass.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel water tube fireboxconstruction whereby an adequate circulation of water isassured to allthe water evaporating tubes of the firebox. The

invention further contemplates a novel construction wherein anindependent supply of water is provided to each of a plurality of groupsof water evaporating tubes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel bottom header fora water tube firebox permitting convenient and simple assembling anddisassembling thereof and the assembling and disassembling thereof withthe water evaporating tubes, water feeding tubes and other parts of thewater tube firebox.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description, a preferred embodiment of which isillustrated in g the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is alongitudinal vertical central section through a locomotive embodying theinvention, the novel boiler and other parts being shown in sideelevation;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical central section through the novelboiler and a portion of the locomotive illustrated in Fig. 1, partsbeing shown in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the locomotive taken on the line 3-3of Fig. 2, with a portion of the locomotive boiler backhead broken awayand parts shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2with a portion of the superheater header shown in elevation;

Fig. 6 is a composite vertical transverse section, the left half ofwhich is taken on the line (Ea-6a of Fig. 2, and the right half of whichis taken on the line lib-6b of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the boiler shown in Fig. 2 with parts brokenaway and shown in section;

Fig. 8 is a framentary sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 4,showin the side members of the rectangular sectional bottom header;

Fig. 9 is a sectional View taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line Ill-l6 of Fig.2 showing one of the rear members of the rectangular sectional bottomheader;

Fig. 11 is a sectional View taken on the line H-ll of Fig. 10; and

Fig; 12 is a sectional View taken on the line l2-l2 of Fig. 10. m I

Referrin to Fig. 1, which shows a preferred embodiment of the invention,a turbo-electric locomotive is represented generally by the letter A. Itis provided with an external shell l9 supported on a frame H which inturn is mounted on the two six wheel trucks l2. A lead truck [3 isassociated with the foremost of the two six wheel trucks [2.

Within the shell It is mounted the steam generating plant or boiler l4and turbo-electric generating means operable by steam from the boiler14. The turbo-electric generating means comprises the turbine and gearset 15 and the generator and exciter Hi. All of the wheels l? of the twosix wheel trucks l2 are preferably utilized as drive wheels, and eachpair of them is provided with a driving motor IS, the driving motorsbeing operable by current from the turboelectric means l5, l6, and beingsuitably supported on the truck frames and suitably geared to the axles19 of the wheel trucks.

At the rear of the boiler H is a space 23 for the fireman and to therear of this is a coal bin 2i and a water tank 22. The engineers cab 23is located at the forward end of the locomotive and a passageway 24,shown in. Figs. 3 to '7, inclusive, extends from the cab 23 along theside of boiler M to the firemans space 23 and thence along the side ofthe coal bin 21 and water tank 22.

The trucks I2 are spaced apart, as shown in Fig. l, and that part of theframe ii therebetween is depressed, as at 25. The firebox unit 26 of theboiler I4 is mounted on the depressed portion 25 of the frame and an ashpan 2'! for the firebox unit 26 depends therefrom in the space betweenthe trucks 52. It will be seen that this construction and arrangement ofelements provides for a firebox of maximum overall height withoutincreasing the height of the top of the firebox above the level of therails. This increased overall height provides greater evaporatingsurface in the firebox unit of the boiler thereby making it possible tomaterially shorten the overall length of the boiler as compared with theusual locomotive steam boiler.

The novel boiler l4 comprises the firebox unit 28 which is of the watertube evaporating type, and a fire tube evaporating unit 28. The fireboxunit 26 is defined by rear wall 29 having a firing opening 36, frontwall 3i having a combustion gas outlet 32, side wall 33, side wall 34and top wall 35, said walls being made of refractory or other suitablematerial. spaced drums 3B and 3'! extend longitudinally through theupper portion of the firebox unit 26 and are supported by the rear andfront walls 29 and 35, respectively. At the bottom of the firebox andfollowing closely along the inside surface of the firebox walls 29, 31,33 and 34 is a rectangular shaped bottom header 38, preferably formed ina plurality of sections as best shown in Figs. '7, 8 and and asdescribed hereinafter in detail. A center grate bearer bar 39 and sidegrate bearer bars 40 and 4!, best shown in Figs. 2, 4 and '7, aresecured to the depressed portion of the frame H and support the fireboxgrate sections 42.

A bank of upright water tubes 43 extends across the rear of the firebox23 closely adjacent the rear wall 29 and connects the drums and 31 withthe rear sections 44 of the rectangular bottom header 38. As seen inFig, 3, the centrally disposed tubes 43 are arcuately curved at thefiring openings 39 to provide an unobstructed aperture.

A bank of upright water tubes 45 extends across A pair of laterally thefront of the firebox 26 closely adjacent the front wall 3| and connectsthe drums 33 and 31 with the front sections 45 of the rectangular bottomheader 3%, as seen in Fig. 5.

A bank of upright water tubes 4'! extends across one side of the firebox23 and another bank of upright water tubes 48 extends across theopposite side of the firebox 26. The banks of water tubes 41 and 53connect drums 35 and 3t, respectively, with the side sections 39 and 53,respectively, of the rectangular bottom header 38, as seen in Fig. 4.The lower portions of water tube banks 41 and 43 are disposed adjacentthe respective side walls 33 and 34, and the upper portions of the watertube banks Lil and 48 are bent inwardly toward each other. The Watertubes 47 and 48 are bent inwardly varying distances so that a water tubescreen is formed extending across the firebox for substantially its fulllength intermediate the top and bottom of the firebox. The water tubebanks 4'! and 48 are each arranged with their lower portions in astaggered double row as best illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, so that agreater number of tubes can be provided on each side of the firebox thanif arranged in a single row. By staggering the rows, they can bearranged closer together than they could otherw1se.

By means of the construction described above, wherein closely spacedwater evaporating tubes present a continuous surface on all sides of thefirebox and a screen of water tubes extends longitudinally through thecentral portion of the firebox, it will be seen that a large evaporatingsurface is provided whereby a maximum amount of heat is absorbed byradiation.

In view of the extremely high evaporating capacity of our improved watertube firebox, it is important that there be a free and extremely rapidcirculation. This is provided for in our construction by a plurality ofdowncomers 5| that communicate at their upper ends with the drums 36 and31 and extend downwardly along the exterior of the walls 29, 3E 33 and34 and that project at their lower ends through openings 52 tocommunicate with the rectangular bottom header 38. One downcomercommunicates with each of the sections 44, 43, 49 and 50 of the bottomheader 38 and a plurality of water evaporating tubes, preferably five asshown, communicate with each of the bottom header sections 44, 43, 49and 50. Each group of five water evaporating tubes thus has its ownwater supply downcomer, thereby assuring an adequate water circulationin all parts of the water tube firebox.

In order to provide maximum utilization of the hot combustion gases inthe water tube firebox unit 26 for conversion of water to steam, threepasses for the major portion of the combustion gases are arranged withinthe firebox unit. A transverse wall or baffle 53 extends from one sidewall 33 to the opposite side wall 34 and projects forwardly into thefirebox from the rear wall 29 just above the level of the firing opening30, terminating at its forward end short of the firebox front wall 3!.The bafiie 53 is formed by a plurality of refractory bricks and issupported by the water tubes 4! and 48, as best shown in Fig. 4.

A second transverse wall or bafile 54 extends from one side wall 33 tothe opposite side wall 34 and projects into the firebox from the frontwall 3| just below the level of the combustion opening 32, rearwardlyabove the bafiie 53 and terminates at its rearward end short of the rearwall 29, as seen in Fig. 2. The baffle 54 is formed by a plurality ofrefractory bricks and is supported by the water tubes 41 and 48, as seenin Fig. 4.

The overlapping baffles 53 and 54, as best shown in Fig. 2, form atortuous passage in the firebox extending from the firing opening 36 tothe combustion gas outlet 32 causing the major portion of the combustiongases to make three passes through the firebox. The water tube screenformed by the inwardly bent portions of the Water tubes 41 and 48,previously described, extends throughout the second pass between thebaffles 53 and 54. The forward end of the baffle 54 slopes downwardly,as shown in Fig. 2, and the Water tubes 41 and 48 at the forward end ofthe firebox preferably extend through the sloping portion of the bafiie54 to form a water tube screen in the lower forward end of the third oruppermost pass.

A plurality of transversely extending equalizing tubes 55, best shown inFigs. 2 and 4 provide communication between the drums 36 and 31 andserve to equalize the steam pressure in the drums. The tubes 55preferably form a support for the refractory bricks forming the top wall35 of the firebox unit 26.

The drums 36 and 31 are provided at each of their ends with a manholenormally closed by a manhole cover or plate 56, removal of whichprovides access to the interior of the drums for cleaning, repairs,inspection and other purposes. Since the point of entrance of the waterevaporating tubes 43, 45, 41 and 43, to the drums 36 and 31 is below thenormal water level therein, the discharge of steam into the drums 36 and31 will be quite violent. In order therefore to assure an uninterruptedand steady flow of water to the downcomers 5|, a plate 51, arcuate incross section, is provided in each of the drums 36 and 31.

The arcuate plates 51 extend longitudinally in the drums over points ofentrance of the downcomers 5i into the drums 36 and 31, and terminate attheir ends short of the respective ends of the drums. Water thus flowsunder the plates 51 from the comparatively quiet ends of the drums 36and 31 to the entrance to the downcomers 5|.

Saturated steam is taken off from the upper ends of the drums 36 and 31through return bend pipes 58 and 56, respectively, as seen in Figs. 6and '7, and is delivered to the saturated steam chamber 66 of thesuperheater header 6|, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. From the saturatedsteam chamber 66 the steam passes through the superheater tubes 62,Figs. 2 and 4, and thence to the dry steam chamber 63, Fig. 5, of thesuperheater header 6!. From dry steam chamber 63, the superheated steampasses through pipe 19 to the turbine l5. The superheater, comprisingthe superheater header 6| and superheater tubes 62 is disposed in thethird or uppermost pass of the firebox.

Since the superheater header 6| and tubes 62 are located in the fireboxend of the boiler, a higher degree of superheat is obtained for allratings than is possible with the conventional arrangement of thesuperheater header in the smoke box and the superheater tubes projectingrearwardly in the forward ends of the fire tubes. In the conventionallocomotive arrangement it is impossible to obtain a very high degree ofsuperheat without maintaining an abnormally high temperature in thesmoke box. Our improved boiler makes it possible to obtain a high degreeof superheat while at the same time perknitting maintenance of arelatively low smoke box temperature, whereby a greater utilization ofthe heat generated in the firebox is realized for the purpose ofevaporation.

While, as described above, the superheater header 6| and tubes 62 arelocated in the firebox unit, injury thereto by excessive heat isminimized by reason of the large and efficient heat absorbing surfaceprovided in our improved firebox construction and the location of thesuperheater in th third pass of the combustion gases through thefirebox, whereby the temperature of the combustion gases when they reachthe superheater while sufficiently high to produce a high degree ofsuperheat, is not excessive.

The firetube evaporating unit 28 of the boiler [4 includes a watercontaining and steam generating barrel 64 which is in substantialregister at its rearward end with the combustion gas out let 32 of thefirebox unit 26 and extends forwardly therefrom. The forward andrearward ends of the barrel 64 are provided with the front and rear tubesheets 65 and 66, respectively, as best shown in Fig. 2. The barrel 64contains a plurality of closely spaced longitudinally extending firetubes 61 projecting through and being supported by the tube sheets 65and 66, through which tubes pass combustion gases from the firebox. Inorder to abstract as much heat as possible from-the combustion gasespassing through the fire tubes 61, it is important to provide thelargest possible area of heating surface. In the conventional types oflocomotive boilers wherein the superheater tubes extend into the firetubes, the fire tubes must of necessity have a relatively large diameterin order to accommodate the superheater tubes. In our construction andarrangement of parts the superheater tubes do not extend into the firetubes so that a large number of small diameter fire tubes instead of asmaller number of large diameter fire tubes are used. Since these smalldiameter fire tubes provide a total heating surface considerably greaterthan would the number of conventional large diameter tubes that could beaccommodated in a .barrel of the same diameter, it is apparent that inour construction a barrel of comparatively shorter length can be used inabstracting useful heat for evapcrating purposes.

A second barrel 68 is located below and offset to one side of the mainbarrel 64, on that side of the locomotive opposite the passage 24, asseen in Fig. 6. The forward end of the barrel 68 is in line with theforward end of the barrel 64, and the rearward end thereof terminatesshort of the rearward end of the barrel 64 and short of the front wall31 of the firebox unit 26. The barrel 68 contains a plurality of closelyspaced small diameter fire tubes 66 which project through and aresupported by the front and rear tube sheets 16 and 1 I, respectively, ofthe barrel 68.

Afiue chamber 12 connects the forward ends of the barrels 64 and 68providing for passage of the combustion gases from the fire tubes 61 tothe fire tubes 69. The useful heat for evaporating purposes is expendedby the combustion gases in the improved firebox unit 26 and the barrel64 and the remaining useful heat of the combustion gases is abstractedin the barrel 66 which functions as a feedwater heater. Water isdelivered to the barrel or feedwater heater 68 from the tank 22 by afeedwater conduit 13 as shown in Fig. 2, and from the feedwater heater68, water passes to the barrel 64 through a number of connectingpassages 14, as shown in Fig.6.. ,7

' The steam liberated in the barrel 64 is taken off at the top rearthereof through steam pipes 15 and 16, which as shown in Figs. 6 and 7connect with the top front of the steam and water drums 36 and 3'!respectively. The steam liberated in the barrel G4 thence passes alongwith the steam liberated in the firebox unit 26, from the drums 3B and3'! to the superheater header 6i through the pipes 58 and 59 aspreviously described. Water for the firebox unit 25 of the boiler 14 isdelivered to the forward under side of the drums 3t and 31 from the rearlower side of the barrel 54 through pipes ii and i8, respectively.

The fire tubes 69 of the feedwater heater or barrel 68 open into a smokebox 9! which extends upwardly at one side of the barrel 64 on the sideof the locomotive opposite the passage 24, as best seen in Figs. 2 and6. The stack 8| extends from within the upper end of the smoke box 80upwardly through the outer shell H} of the locomotive. Drafting of thefirebox 25 is accomplished by means of a nozzle 82 disposed within thesmoke box 86 and through which nozzle 82 steam from the turbine i isexhausted to atmosphere from the stack 8!.

As stated above the rectangular bottom header 38 of the firebox unit 26is preferably formed of a plurality of sections, the front water legthereof comprising sections it, the rear water leg comprising sections44 and the longitudinal side water legs comprising sections 49 and 58,as shown in Fig. '7. In Figs. 8 to 12 inclusive, these sections areshown in greater detail. )Zhe sections 49 are the same as sections 58,the latter being illustrated in Figs. 3 and 9, and the sections 46 arethe same as sections 4.4 which latter sections are illustrated in Figs.10, 11 and 12.

The sections so and 5d are in the form of hollow castings, each having atop wall 83 provided with a plurality of openings 84, preferably five,in a staggered double row arranged to receive the lower ends of thewater tubes 47 and 48. Each of the sections 39 and 50 also has a bottomwall 85 provided with an oval shaped opening 86 normally closed by acover plate 8?. When the cover plate 8'! is removed, the opening 96provides access to the exposed ends of the Water tubes, allowing theends of the tubes to be rolled and beaded in and permitting the tubes tobe cleaned or washed out.

The end walls of the sections 49 and 59 converge so that each of thesections has a narrow side and a wide side, the narrow side having a rowof two openings 84, and the wide side having a row of three openings 84.The sections 49 and 58 when assembled are arranged with the narrow andwide sides alternately facing outwardly. Each of the sections 49 and '50is provided with an integrally formed 90 degree elbow 88 forming thelower portion of the downcomers 5!. Some of the sections 49 and as havethe elbow 88 projecting outwardly from their narrow side and some havethe elbow 83 projecting outwardly from their wide side, so that whenassembled, all the elbows 88 are arranged to project outwardly throughthe openings 52 in the walls 33 and 34.

The sections 54 and the sections 46 which are the same as sections 44,have a rectangularly shaped top wall 89 provided with a plurality ofopenings 93, preferably five, in a single row arranged to receive thelower ends of the water tubes 43 and 45. The bottom walls 91 of thesections 44 and 46 are provided with a pair of oval shaped openings 92normally closed by cover plates 93. When the cover plates 93 areremoved, the openings 92 provide access to the exposed ends of the watertubes, allowing the ends of the tubes to be rolled and beaded in andpermitting the tubes to be cleaned or washed out. Each of the sections44 and 46 is provided at one side thereof with an integrally formeddegree elbow 9t projecting outwardly through the openings 52 in thewalls 29 and 3| and form the lower portion of the downcomers 5!.

We claim:

1. A locomotive boiler comprising a firebox, means in said fireboxforming three passes therethrough for the combustion gases, a water tubeevaporating unit for said firebox including steam and water header meansat the top of the firebox, water supplying header means at the bottom ofthe firebox, banks of Water tubes at the sides of said fireboxconnecting said steam and water header means and said water supplyingheader means, each bank comprising a plurality of spaced individualtubes including water tubes of each bank arranged in each of said passesand all tubes disposed in at least two passes so that all of the tubesare subjected to the action of said combustion gases at least twiceduring the passage of the gases through said firebox.

2. A locomotive boiler comprising a firebox comprising a pair oi?transverse vertically spaced overlapping baffles in said fireboxprojecting inwardiy respectively from opposite ends thereof forming acontinuous tortuous passage therethrough defining three passes for thecombustion gases, a water tube evaporating unit for said fireboxincluding steam and water header means at the top of the firebox, Watersupplying header means at the bottom of the firebox, banks of watertubes at the sides of said firebox connecting said steam and waterheader means and said water supplyin header means, each bank comprisinga plurality of spaced individual tubes including water tubes of eachbank arranged in each of said passes and all tubes disposed in at leasttwo passes so that all of the tubes are subjected to the action of saidcombustion gases at least twice during the passage of the gases throughsaid firebox.

3. A water tube firebox comprising steam and water containing means atthe top of the firebox, headers at the bottom of the firebox, a bank ofwater tubes at each side of the firebox, each of said banks providingcommunication between said water containing means and a respective sideheader, said banks of water tubes extendin vertically throughout thefirebox and each bank of tubes being bent inwardly toward the center ofsaid firebox to provide a series of transversely spaced longitudinalrows of tubes in each of said banks of tubes and a pair of transverselyvertically spaced overlapping baffles in said firebox includingtherebetween said bent portions of said tubes and on which said baiilesare supported, said bafiles projectin inwardly respectively fromopposite ends of said firebox forming a tortuous passage causing themajor portion of the combustion gases to make three passes through saidfirebox.

4. A water tube firebox comprising steam and water containing means atthe top of the firebox, headers at the bottom of the firebox, a bank ofwater tubes at each side of the firebox, each of said banks providingcommunication between said water containing means and a respective sideheader, said banks of water tubes extending vertically throughout thefirebox and each bank of tubes being bent inwardly toward the center ofsaid firebox to provide a series of transversely spaced longitudinalrows of tubes in each of said banks of tubes, and a pair of transverseverti- EUGENE MARTIN. CHARLES J. SURDY. JOSEPH B. MACKENZIE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

Number 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Durfee Aug. 24, 1875 WilliamsMar. 10, 1885 Linn et a1 Oct. 1, 1895 Kellogg Nov. 17, 1896 Rearick May13, 1902 Harvey Feb. 24, 1903 Curtis Oct. 3, 1905 Reid et a1 Nov. 28,1905 Giorgi June 8, 1909 Crowell June 29, 1927 Brandt June 17, 1930Brandt 1 June 17, 1930 Clendon Nov. 11, 1930 Blome Apr. 5, 1932 AustinAug, 29, 1933 Bruce July 30, 1935 Peperkorn Feb. 4, 1936 Blome -1- Mar.3, 1936 Nyffenegger et a]. Dec. 1, 1936 Bailey Aug. 22, 1939 OstermannDec. 9, 1941

